Summer's End
by Freewheeler
Summary: Castle and Beckett are finding it more and more difficult to keep a lid on their secret. Especially on nights like these...
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Set around Halloween in Season 5, except 5x05? Never gonna happen-land. Just humour me...

Assumes no-one but Ryan has found out that Castle and Beckett are in a relationship.

Spoilers for post-Always episodes.

This fic was written for the Halloween ficathon, but I didn't get it finished on time. I'm publishing it anyway!

**Quick! Check out the Halloween ficathon stories over at TwelfthPrecinct's page**

Started out as a one-shot, but I need to get part of it out and published, and hopefully get some feedback to give me direction. Thanks to Holly for the very helpful beta! Warning! It's a bit fluffy!

Disclaimer: The characters you recognize are somebody else's. I'm just moving them about like little dress up dolls, for no commercial gain whatsoever.

* * *

"The Veil is Getting Thinner" - Pagan poem, poet unknown

_I heard this whisper and I wondered,_  
_I heard this laugh and then I knew._  
_The time is getting near my friends,_  
_The time that I hold dear my friends,_  
_The veil is getting thin my friends,_  
_And strange things will pass through._

Another year, another successful Castle Halloween party, thought Castle, perched on a bar stool near the casement window at the far end of his living room, gazing moodily out onto the street below.

He'd left the fedora of his 50s detective costume around somewhere, and the long trench was draped carelessly over a sofa on the other side of the room. He shifted and flexed his shoulders, feeling slightly constricted by the leather shoulder holster that spanned his chest. He checked his watch. It was getting late.

He swivelled around in the stool for a quick status update. Most of the book business people had left by now but the crew from the 12th was still here, and the noise level in the loft still energetic. Teensy carved pumpkin candles still lit? Check. Drinks still flowing? Check. People still having fun? He looked around...

Some leftovers from Black Pawn - a couple of their young up-and-coming authors - were propping up the kitchen bench, chatting up the pert cocktail bartender Kennedy, who was moonlighting from the Old Haunt, while they scarfed mini red-velvet cupcakes (frosted with Ana Steele and Christian Grey faces) by the handful. Ryan and Jenny (Space Cowboy and Companion) were sitting alone on Castle's sofa near the roaring fire, smiling at each other, in their own little honeymooner bubble. Lanie and Esposito were over by the stereo system, where Esposito, apparently some Korean rapper in sunglasses and a tux and spats, was 'helping' Lanie, who made a very cute Katniss Everdeen, with moves from the latest dance craze. The detective was leaning right into the Medical Examiner, hips flush with hers, well inside her personal space. Castle wasn't sure about Lanie, but from the eye contact and smiles, he could see the dance lesson was going very well for the Latino detective. It looked like Lanie had put away the crossbow for now. Castle tapped his swizzle stick against the glass, not immune himself to the insanely catchy beat. People still having fun? Check.

He smiled wryly and returned his absent stare to the streets still damp and dank after today's late fall rainstorm.

"Hey, great party, Castle!"

Castle turned and grinned at Ryan, "Hey, thanks, Kev. Glad you're having a good time. Say, I haven't seen Beckett in a while...when's the conference finish?"

"Tomorrow night. She's flying back from New Orleans straight after the last session. It was a pity it was until this weekend. I know Beckett was really sorry she couldn't make it tonight."

Castle nodded sagely for the benefit of the Irish detective who excused himself and lurched off to the bar. But Castle already knew full well that his girlfriend was stuck at that damn conference until tomorrow night. Nevertheless, he didn't want Kevin Ryan suspecting him of having contact with Kate while she was away, any more than was appropriate for a work partner-slash-best friend, at least.

Like that he and Beckett spoke on the phone every night to wish each other good night. That Kate had been sending him hot texts all week, not at all the sort of texts you'd want to share with your workmates.

No, nor would he want Kate's workmates to know about those late-night phone calls when either one of them couldn't sleep, the ones that made him want to drop the phone, pack a bag, jump on a plane to New Orleans, wake her up, keep her sleepless that night and the next, make her forget about the National Law Enforcement conference, make her forget everything but him, make her sob his name till the moon set and the sun rose over the French Quarter...

No, it was pretty important that Kate's colleagues didn't know about that.

Last weekend, they'd had an eventful, yet blissful time in the Hamptons, which, once the murder investigation was out of the way, saw the two of them indulging in the few remaining hours of love-soaked, hedonistic relaxation. Neither of them wanted to leave in the end. But they had to go home, and she had to go away to the conference.

She'd been away less than a week, and he missed her, a lump in his chest that burned with need.

He stared into his martini and fidgeted with the olive-laden toothpick.

* * *

"Gee, Castle, anyone would think you were sulking."

Kate Beckett watched as her boyfriend - totally sulking, by the way - swivelled on the barstool at his fancy living room window, eyes widening as he took in the sight of her, and not merely the fact that she was there at all. The red leather bustier and pants fit like a second skin. Her hair was down, shiny and curled just so, the way he liked to wrap in a sleek rope around his hand when holding her in close for a deep kiss, and she'd spent a lot of time in the airport bathroom getting the eyes just the right degree of smoky and almond-shaped. He looked like he was on the verge of cardiac arrest. Poor guy really didn't stand a chance. Oh yeah, Kate thought to herself, Elektra was definitely the look to go with.

Beckett, for her part, took some time to drink in the sight of him too. Hair ruffled, a hint of chin stubble, suggesting he'd suspended shaving for a day or two, perhaps to aid the illusion of a harried, scotch-soaked gumshoe, this illusion further aided by the leather shoulder holster that hugged and emphasized those broad shoulders, the sight of which evoked thoughts of that wide, heavy torso as it bore down, pressing her into his sinfully comfortable king bed. She was struck by an intense longing to be alone with him. It had been too long. These thoughts and the sight of him here, now, so handsome, in the flesh, made Kate's heart pound.

"But you're...you're supposed to be in New Orleans!"

She grinned. "I waited till dark and snuck out the window...Thought I'd surprise you. So Castle, I like the outfit. Detective looks really good on you..." She quirked an eyebrow and smirked at Castle, hoping he'd pick up on her meaning. But who knew, because he was still gaping and gulping like a goldfish in a bowl.

* * *

Kate's cheeky flirting and heated gaze had Castle's hands itching to pull her in, press her against the window with his body, and indulge in an endless kiss. Instead he took her hand and pulled her gently towards him, just far enough apart for respectability's sake, and linked their hands in a tender handshake. "It's great to see you, Detective. So glad you could make it. Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure, thanks," she agreed, with a sly grin, seeming to share his enjoyment of their handshake.

"We were doing Brandy Alexanders before. Want one of those?"

"Really, Castle, a girl's drink?"

He leaned right in so he was nearly speaking into her ear, "I want to be able to taste brandy and nutmeg on you later, so yeah, Kate, a girl's drink."

* * *

Holding her gaze, he brushed by her, making his way over to the bar. Beckett watched him as he went, blushing at what she saw in his eyes and heard in his words.

"Hey, there's our girl..."

Kate looked around and saw her friends gathering nearby after her subtle entrance.

"Hey, guys." Esposito guy-nodded to her with a smile. "Thanks for letting me in, Javi."

"No problema. So what's up with Castle? This is the first time he's come and joined the party for a couple hours."

Kate smiled, and looked around, hoping for distraction. "Hey, Lanie. How're you doin'?"

"I'm good. But talk to me." Kate smiled apologetically to Esposito and Ryan, while the ME dragged Beckett into the corner. "So, let's cut to the chase...Emo kid over there's been moping in the corner all night, all week in fact, waiting for you, while last week you're off with who-knows-what guy on a getaway!

"Lanie..."

"...I mean, pardon my bluntness, but what is wrong with you? I thought this whole soap opera would have been long done by now, culminating in you not leaving Castle's bed for a week. What happened?" Lanie fixed her friend with a glare. "Did you get cold feet?"

"Lanie, I..."

"...I mean I know you two had your moments in the spring. He hangs around with bimbos, you guzzle wine and ice cream and wonder where you went wrong. Now he's dropped the bimbos, but you're still dangling guys in his face. And now you turn up here looking like that, making sex-eyes at the man, and no mystery guy in sight! What is with you? I would have thought - "

"LANIE! Stop!"

"What?!"

Kate, seeing her fellow detectives hanging around a few feet away, showing a keen interest in Lanie's unsubtle interrogation, hauled her friend into Castle's office. "Lanie, you can't breathe a word of this..."

"What?"

Beckett winced at her tone and dropped her voice to a soft murmur, "The new guy...it's Castle. He took me to the Hamptons last weekend..."

"Oh. My. God. Just how long have you been holding out on me?"

"Since May"

Lanie's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Kate Beckett! Do you mean to tell me the hook-up of the century happened six months ago and nobody knows about it?"

Beckett waved her hands in panic, "Shush! God, Lanie, please, if Gates gets wind of this...you can't tell the guys, or it'll be all over."

"No worries, your secret's safe with me. Oh, I'm so happy for you, honey. C'mere..." Lanie hugged Beckett tightly.

* * *

Kate reflected on the conversation with Lanie and felt a mix of relief and apprehension. Relief because she hated lying, even by omission, to people she cared about.

Not only that; it felt great that she'd now have Lanie to confide in about everything that was going on with Castle. Some days, after hours spent in her lover's company and bed, feeling so sated, worshipped by his mouth, hands, body, she found it impossible to rein it all in. That glow Lanie had spotted when Kate returned from suspension? Kate knew that glow too, because she had been seeing it on herself, every morning in the mirror, in the shining eyes and in the soft radiant smile on swollen lips. Sometimes a girl just needs to talk it out.

But there was the niggling worry too; Beckett knew she could trust Lanie's discretion, but...one more person knew about her and Castle. And with each new person knowing, the risk of Gates finding out increased too.

* * *

A/N: Thoughts? I'd love feedback. Drop in a review and let me know what worked for you and what didn't. I read a lot of fanfic, but when it comes time to put something together? Total newbie. Still trying to work out how it's done. Another one or two chapters to go, I think.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Chapter 2!

Thanks so much for the support you've shown this story with your lovely reviews, alerts and follows. This chapter has taken quite a while, mainly because I'm a new parent, and a new writer, and only get a maximum of one or two uninterrupted hours late in the evening, some of which I use to write. It also took me a while to finally figure out where the story was going.

Anyway, I'm in a bit of a rhythm now with writing regularly, so...maybe the next chapter won't take so long :)

Also big thanks to 1822andallthat and brookemopolitan for hearing my anguished tweet about how this chapter was stuck, and helping me plot my way out of the hole I found myself in...and thanks to 1822andallthat and NevynR for beta services.

I'll also ask that you cross fingers with me in the hope that my uncle doesn't find the draft I had to download to his laptop while on holidays because I couldn't remember how to selectively delete files from the Trash on a Mac. Of all the facets of my life that I want to share with my family, the fact that I write romantic fan fiction is not one of them ;)

Let me know what you think...

* * *

Kate caught Lanie's hand and squeezed it as she pulled her friend back towards the party with a beaming smile. "I should have told you sooner."

"Damn straight you should have! You look amazing. That man must be doing somethin' very right... so how is it?"

"Lanie!"

Lanie leaned in conspiratorially to Beckett as they reached the rest of the gang "I demand a girl's night. You owe me a full report!"

Beckett rolled her eyes with a grin at her friend. "Shhh!"

"How's what now?" They'd reached the middle of the living room where the boys were looking too alert. Esposito was waiting for an answer, eyebrows raised.

"None of your business!" said Beckett, watching as Ryan and Esposito exchanged a look.

"So what's been happening while I've been gone?"

"Just a couple pop 'n' drops. Javi ran point. Really bad guys musta taken the week off." Ryan shrugged. "As good a time as any to go on a junket. So did ya miss us? You missed us, right?!"

"Yeah..." Beckett couldn't help but look around for Castle. She saw him leaning on the kitchen island, clearly still waiting for her drink to be made. His gaze was already laying hot on her. She felt a familiar curl of desire in the pit of her stomach and couldn't look away. She watched as the bartender finished two drinks and handed them to Castle, before remembering she was supposed to be talking to Ryan. Ryan had already tracked her gaze and was smirking when she returned her attention to him.

"Yeah, I did" Her cheeks reddened. Ryan clearly knew too much.

* * *

"So Kate..." Ryan's wife leaned in closer to Beckett as she sat on the shag pile rug near the fire with Lanie and the guys, and stage whispered: "...a little bird told me you've got a new boyfriend..."

"A little bird, huh?" Beckett looked shrewdly at Ryan, and he blushed and edged away, fidgeting with the trim on his tan brown leather coat. He looked a little uncomfortable in his clothes, noted Kate, to her satisfaction. She turned her attention back to Ryan's wife. "You look gorgeous, Jenny. Captain Tightpants scrubs up pretty nice too, the little gossip."

Ryan's wife giggled and swivelled her shoulders a little, bunching up handfuls of heavy emerald silk from her long, embroidered skirt, and presenting it for Kate's inspection. The matching Indian choli blouse, elaborate costume jewellery and sultry eye makeup completed the look. "Thanks. Kev and I love that show...that Captain's dreamy. So serious, deep, brooding. Such a complex romantic hero."

Beckett felt someone flop down on the carpet behind her, she looked back with a start and saw Castle, hair flopping messily around his eyes, as he struggled to keep control of two white drinks in brandy glasses. She watched with amused affection as he slopped a little over the edge of one glass, catching some of the opaque liquid on a finger of the hand holding the glass, and painstakingly licked it off. "Mmm, tasty!" He said, suddenly thoroughly distracted by the drink and seemingly unable to co-ordinate with an elaborate cocktail in each hand.

She raised one eyebrow and met his gaze. "Very smooth, Castle. One of those for me?"

The writer's grin was as wide as a kid's as he handed her a glass.

"Thanks..." Beckett smiled back. She turned to face forward again, conscious of his gaze on her and of his body heat warming her back, though he was clearly maintaining a safe distance to ensure no part of their bodies was touching. But this was nice. It reminded her of those parties she would go to at college; where people would loll carelessly on the living room floor of some tiny, candle-lit apartment, and chug cheap red wine; they'd chat and listen to something mournful. And sometimes when you weren't that long out of high school, you'd sit near as you could to the one you liked, shyly flirting with the most glancing of touches and looks, trying not to give too much away.

Now, years later, the living room her friends were lolling around was possibly one of the most lavish apartments in Soho, belonging to her favourite writer, her boyfriend. But while their friends chatted and relaxed and couples flirted, Beckett had to keep her distance from him, so as not to arouse suspicion that anything had changed between them in the last few months.

Trouble was, after a week out of town, leaving straight after their weekend away in the Hamptons, she felt she wouldn't be able to spend another hour away from him. Her fingers itched to touch him and to feel his skin under them, and she felt a strong desire, with every breath, to cling to his side and never leave. The crazy thing was, she was going to have to pretend to go home, and sneak back to the loft after all the guests had left.

It was times like these she could barely remember why they had decided they needed to keep their relationship secret. Right now, she didn't know how long she would be able to keep her hands off him.

She leaned back towards him as subtly as she could, knowing that even this degree of proximity in front of their friends was somewhat outside the usual limits. And while keeping her back towards Castle, she risked slipping one of her hands behind her back and stroking the hand that she found there, interlinking her fingers between his for a moment. She quickly surveyed the faces of their friends, to see if she'd escaped their notice. She had.

Just at that moment, she felt his hand clasp hers, and his breath on her cheek briefly as he said in a low voice, "Meet me on the balcony, in twenty minutes..."

* * *

Next thing she knew she was walking through the balcony door (she hadn't even been aware the loft had a balcony), she felt an arm slide around her waist, and she was swung around to land with a solid thud against his chest; his face so close to hers; the intense gaze that looked right through her, his breath that she could feel warm and moist on her lips, and that quirk of a grin just for her, that heated her up in all the right places.

"Hey..."

"Hey..."

She tilted her face up even closer to his, speaking softly, her hazel gaze caressing him, and flicking to his mouth, tantalisingly close enough to kiss. "You wanted to talk? So let's talk, Castle..."

Her words were swallowed as he claimed her mouth, arm curved tight around her waist, moulding her to him so that no space remained between them. "Done talking."

He slid both hands around her torso and proceeded down, pulling her hips to him into close contact that made her moan. She shirtfronted him, backing off from him briefly, only to jerk him towards her, until she had him pressing her against the exterior stone wall of the loft balcony. So needy for the feel of him against her, she linked her hands behind his neck and levered herself up to wrap herself around him, while his thick body pinned her against the rough stone, and she gasped as she felt the cool, moist shock of the damp wall scraping against the heated flesh of her bare waist.

He nudged one leg between hers and she dropped her feet to the tiled floor to sit astride him. She felt an instant pressure, pulsing, firm, hot; and was helpless to do anything but obey the twin forces of gravity and the strong brace of his arms around her and hers around him, and as the hunger to get closer, ever closer thrummed in her blood, she surged into him again and again.

A loud clap of thunder sounded, lightning flashed right overhead, rain came from the sky in sheets, the air became awash with moisture and the electric smell of ozone. She clung to him, writhing, gasping, then groaning her climax into his neck, and his hands moved to release her and to move about, unfastening, loosening, deft fingers trailing tendrils of warmth along her skin underneath her clothes.

The rest of the world fell away; their friends, the party; and soon there was nothing else between them but their hands, bodies, and skin, all pressure and heat, the rain falling from above and glistening upon them, the unseasonably warm air enfolding them in a damp blanket, and an elemental fire no longer held in control, raging between the two of them, unquenched by the storm around.

* * *

They never did make it back to the party. As they laid in his bedroom, where they later found themselves (without any real recollection of how they got there), and as their heartbeats slowed and their minds drifted in a sated trance, she wondered how they were ever going to explain this...

* * *

She watched as the old moon rose at the end of the day between, sheeting silver through the window onto gleaming limbs and tangled bedsheets, stray lightning flared silently in the sultry air outside while a strange light tinged the sky orange-pink, almost making day of night.

She spoke words from the silence, whisper-light, like a butterfly kiss on smooth skin.

_I love you_.

* * *

"Miss... Hey MISS! Look, lady I haven't got all night!..."

"Huh...?" Kate Beckett pulls herself out of sleep with a start. She doesn't remember dozing off. Hell, she barely remembers climbing into the cab outside the terminal at LaGuardia less than an hour ago.

And even without the slight sheen of sweat and warmth she feels on her own face, the sudden heaviness of her limbs as clues, she has no doubt whatever that she has just had the most vivid dream she'd ever had, in the back of a taxi.

She checks her whereabouts: her taxi had pulled up on Broome, right outside Castle's loft.

"Oh. Right. Here..." Beckett pulls out her purse and passes three twenties to the driver through the barrier.

Standing at the door of the loft, she straightens the red leather bustier and pants of her Elektra costume, pulls a compact mirror out of her purse and checks her face and hair one last time.

She checks her watch. It isn't too late; judging by the sounds penetrating the loft's solid door, the party is kicking on.

Beckett takes out her cell phone, dashes off a quick text and knocks quietly on the door.

* * *

A/N: :) Let me know what you think. I'm planning one more chapter for this one. I hope I can get it out soonish.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey Castle! Castle! Wake up, man, you're missing out on all the fun!"

"What-?" Castle lifts his head from where it's been propped up against his loft's living room window, by a hand and wrist now tingling with pins and needles.

Blinking, he pushes his Fedora onto the back of his head, rubbing his hand across his eyes. He shifts and flexes his shoulders, feeling slightly constricted by the leather holster that hugs them and spans his broad back "Oh. Hey, Kev. Huh. I must have winked out for a little while."

"Great party! Pity Beckett's not here."

"Did you speak to her? How's the policing conference going?"

"Have you not heard from her? I woulda thought you'd hear from her for sure. You know, being her...partner and all."

"No...Of course I haven't. Why...not that we've not spoken at all. I mean we've not spoken every night at all. I mean. Never. Not never, I mean never, never this week. What exactly are you saying, Ryan?"

Ryan pauses and nods slowly, wearing an insufferable smirk regarding Castle with a knowing stare. "Uh-huh. Yeah...okay. So Beckett said the conference was full of late middle-aged cowboys who were too fond of donuts, not fond enough of policing procedure and the impacts of technology. She said she'd rather be at your party. Funny. You used to have to drag her kicking and screaming to these things. Something's definitely changed her mind about you. You wouldn't know anything about that, would ya, Castle?" He raises one eyebrow at Castle, smirks again, and lurches off toward the bar.

"Yeah, funny..." Castle watches Ryan leave. There's definitely something going on there. Ever since he and Kate snuck away to the Hamptons, then were dragged into a murder case, and he was forced to reach out to Ryan and Esposito for help with police work, something was...off with Ryan. It was almost like he- no, surely he didn't...he couldn't have...there's no way he could-

Castle shakes his head, trying to clear thoughts that were verging on uncomfortable and return his attention to more pleasant matters. He mulls over the delicious dream Ryan interrupted. Dream-Kate had taken an early flight to surprise him and had arrived at the party, a jaw-dropping Elektra in tight red leather. They'd escaped the crowd to be alone and shared a moment on the balcony.

The dream teases his senses like a real memory. His fingertips tingle from the phantom sensation of having slid across the smooth damp skin of her waist, slipping down the small of her back. He can still taste a riot of sweet and salt, spirit and spice from the perfume and sweat and rain he lapped from her, his lips and tongue tripping the path of taut skin leading to her collarbone from beneath her ear, and from the traces of brandy and nutmeg left on her fingers, lips and tongue; if he closes his eyes he can still hear her moan, still feel the exquisite deadweight of Kate, undone, the deep tremor and her sobbing cry into his neck as she broke apart under the pressure of her own body arching into his.

And after that, the night's strange light, the heat, the rain, the latent power of the season coalesced into a force that drew them into his bed for hours. They needed few words. Only...he's sure he heard her say something important. He just can't remember what it was.

He sighs. The ancient festival is messing with his head. In the real world, Kate's in New Orleans until tomorrow night. End of story. Any plans he has for a re-enactment of the Balcony Scene are just going to have to wait till she comes back.

Doesn't mean he can't thoroughly distract himself with thoughts of her in the meantime, though.

He absent-mindedly scans a scene in front him that is looking pretty familiar. This is how the dream had started...A cluster of young writers at the bar. Lanie dancing. Captain Gates speaking with Esposito as he lets her in the door. Kevin Ryan looking at the door from the sofa, distracted from handing his wife a tall glass of something potent-looking by the arrival of Captain Gates.

Whoa. Wait. What? Gates? No, that's a surprise. He did invite her, but she never was a fan of his theories, and after he had destroyed not one but two priceless collectables of hers a few weeks ago, she was the last person he thought would turn up at his Halloween party.

As Gates approaches, Castle stands apprehensively, half-expecting her to bust him for fantasizing about her lead homicide detective climaxing loudly on his balcony.

(He's not sure how Gates might go about detecting that sort of thing, but with her Internal Affairs background and her nose for impropriety, he can't discount the possibility that she could).

His cheeks burn and he clears his throat noisily as he attempts to clear his mind of all beguiling visuals of Kate, and waits as the Captain walks toward him on treacherously high heels.

"Captain Gates, welcome! Glad you could make it!" Castle says. "You look lovely, by the way. Are you a fan?"

"Oh, I'm one of Tina's biggest fans! I hope I do her justice." She adjusts the hemline of her rather short leather skirt and pats the impressive golden mane of Tina Turner hair, straight out of the 80s.

"And Mr Castle. I want to thank you for the invitation. I feel it's important for the team's unit cohesion to spend time together outside of the precinct. I know we have had our moments-"

"Captain, let me once again apologize-"

Gates holds up one hand in a "Stop!" gesture. "We've had our moments, and sometimes your flair for creative theory-building in the absence of any real evidence makes me fear for due process. But, you and Detective Beckett do get results. So for the sake of the team, I'm prepared to rise above. For the holiday season, at least. My husband James sends his apologies. He had already volunteered to cover this weekend at his precinct since our kids are grown..."

"Well thank you, Captain. I'm very glad you're here. Now let me find you a drink..."

* * *

Having ensured Captain Gates has been set up with a drink and refreshments, Castle slumps back into his seat, and stares blankly out the window. Gates' arrival has thrown him. Not that her presence here is a problem. Now he has a chance to generate some goodwill with Kate's boss, and he's more than okay with that.

Though if Kate were here, Gates' presence would definitely cause some significant awkwardness, given how he's feeling right now, missing Kate so much, not being sure he can rein himself in around her after a week's separation.

But Kate's not here. That's probably a good thing. He isn't sure his heart would cope with that kind of stress.

He hears a commotion at the entrance of the loft, and sees Esposito opening the front door. Castle pulls himself out of his seat and turns to face the loft's entrance, intrigued as to who could be arriving now.

* * *

She's greeting Esposito with a wry smile. She has a large duffel bag with her, which she slides into the coat closet next to the loft's entrance. She steps forward, and with a quick movement has shucked her short black trench and clutch purse and is trailing them carelessly on the hardwood floor at her feet while she banters with her colleague.

She looks exactly as he'd dreamed, from the short, red leather bustier, and red leather pants right down to that stunning, sinuous fall of brunette hair.

She turns and their gazes meet. Her color is high, and her eyes are dark, intense. Seeing her look at him like this makes him feel in danger of blacking out. But he's willing to take that risk. As her eyes take him and the surroundings in, he can see a look of surprise register, and the color rises in her cheeks.

Snapping out of his daze, his mind races. How could he have dreamed she would be dressed like this? Had she mentioned to him that she would be dressing as Elektra, and he'd forgotten? He was pretty sure that wasn't the case, nor that there had been any discussion with Lanie or the boys. And anyway, she hadn't even been expecting to be here tonight.

He also wonders what it is that has caught her attention about him and the place, that's given her that speculative look.

His ponderings are brought down to earth with a bump when he remembers the presence of the last person Kate would want to see here, tonight of all nights. Gates.

He really needs to warn Kate, because blowing the secret of their relationship wide open to her entire work team, including her boss, was definitely not on the agenda this evening and is the last thing she would want. He looks around for Gates, but she doesn't seem to be in sight.

He watches as Kate starts to walk toward him, holding eye contact the whole way. He then spots Gates' shaggy Tina wig bringing up the rear, a second or two behind Kate, who has not yet spotted her boss.

Castle feels a strong sense of dread. He can't risk signalling to Kate. He's going to have to wing it.

I've got this, he thinks.

"Detective Beckett! You came! How wonderful to see you! How was the conference?"

Using her profile as visual cover from Gates, Castle tries to waggle his eyebrows meaningfully. _Careful! Your boss is here! Keep your distance from me or our secret will be out and you'll be up on an ethics violation six months after administrative leave, which won't look great on your work record!_ He can only hope she got the message.

He sees Beckett pull up a little, with furrowed brow, and then move forward again as she shakes her head, a big grin on her face. "Got something in your eye, Castle? Nice touch calling me detective, but I think if we keep our voices down we can-"

"Shh! And Captain Gates! Detective Beckett is here!"

Kate freezes, as a look of dismay crosses her features, before turning with a neutral expression to greet her boss. "Good evening, Sir. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Detective Beckett. It's good to see you. I trust the conference was of interest."

"Yes, Sir. It was very informative. I'll give you a briefing on Monday if you like?"

"That will be fine, no need for shop talk this evening. Thank you for representing the team. I hope you can use the rest of the weekend to prepare for your return to the precinct."

"I can. Thanks for the early leave pass, Sir."

"The final weekend of that conference is always a waste of time, so full of police officers who've been away from the civilizing influence of family and their day jobs for too long. The last thing I like to see is a member of the police force acting indecorously, especially when they think they're on their own time and dime. And that goes double for officers from my own precinct. Everything gets filed away in here." She taps her own forehead, "and there it remains. Until review time, of course."

Beckett shoots Castle a glance. "Uhh. Of course."

"Well then, enjoy your evening. Welcome back, Detective Beckett," says Gates. She nods and directs a narrow smile to the two of them. "Thank you for the punch, Mr Castle. It's going down very well. I believe I'll have another." Beckett and Castle watch her boss turn and totter towards the kitchen bar again.

"Uhh...you may want to-" stammers Castle after her, "-pace yourself. The punch has a little...kick," he finishes unheard.

* * *

"God, Castle, Gates?"

Castle winces. "I know! I did invite her, but I swear I had no idea she'd actually accept! She said something about it being good for the team."

"Well it's not good for us! You heard her! We'll get our asses kicked, to say the least, if we step out of line, even here. You know she's got eyes in the back of her head. God, this is the last thing I wanted or expected when I decided to surprise you at your Halloween party!"

"Kate, Kate, don't worry. It'll be fine, we just need to be a little careful is all. We can go somewhere quiet and talk, we just have to be discreet. Look, the guys and Lanie are on their way over. I'll go get you a drink."

"Hey, there's our girl!..."

* * *

Well, that went well, Kate muses as she and Lanie drift towards Castle's office door; Kate having confessed all to Lanie about her "mystery man". It felt good to share, and after six months, she's determined to stop shutting out her best friend.

"You look amazing. That man must be doing somethin' very right... so how is it?"

Kate blushes. "Lanie!" She pulls her friend away from the doorway and prying eyes. She flashes a cheeky grin at her friend. "How long have you got?"

"Oho! As long as it takes! You got the goods, baby girl? I got all the time in the world."

"Well, I was going to make you wait 'til our next Girl's Night for your full report, but we're girls, and it's night, so...I guess we could just find a bottle of wine and sneak away now?"

Lanie makes a show of uncontrollable glee, jigging on the spot, clapping hands and grinning. "Perfect! Let's go."

Kate beckons Lanie around to the small climate-controlled wine cabinet in back of Castle's writing desk. She takes a bottle of Castle's favourite Côtes du Rhône red and an opener, hands Lanie a pair of German lead crystal glasses, grabs her friend's free hand and tugs her into Castle's bedroom.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As you can see, reality's complicated ? We're on chapter three and this story's not done with me yet. I estimate there are at least two, maybe three chapters to go given the plot bunnies still bouncing around my head. Hope you're still with me. Let me know if so, or if not...reasons why would be awesome too...

Extra note: I want to clarify about this story that (contrary to what I said in the first author's note), I believe the events in this story are starting to develop to fit pretty neatly between Murder, He Wrote and Probable Cause. It just makes me feel good that this story can be made to fit within canon.

One more correction I'd like to make to chapter 1 Author's Note is to correct the name of the beta reader for that chapter. Hope did the beta read for me. Sorry, Hope! I knew who I meant; I just put the wrong name in!

Onward!


	4. Chapter 4

_He'd looked so distraught when he told her he was walking away, told her he wasn't willing to watch her run headlong at her assassin. So when she found herself standing outside the loft the next day after he had walked away, she wasn't sure he'd even let her in, if he'd ever want to speak to her again._

_Thank God he did, because she didn't know what she would've done if he'd turned her away, if it was too late._

_He did let her in, did let her explain herself in a few halting sentences._

_Let her kiss him like he was her only source of air._

_Then the dam appeared to burst within him, and her back landed with a firm thud against his front door, and she lost herself in his kiss, as it branded her in a shock of heat on cool, rain-dampened skin._

_Lost herself in his solid presence, in his thick body, as it pushed her backwards, into the door, blocking out the diffuse light of the loft, generating a heat that made her forget everything else._

_Lost herself in his touch, as his hungry hands and lips, first time explorers, mapped out the topography of her body, and blazed a trail down from the collar of her shirt to the small, round scar that nearly ended her, but which ultimately put her on a path that led back to him._

_She remembers the way his mouth devoured her, drinking her in like a man who'd been thirsting in the desert for years. And yet, the way his hands gently cradled her head, in a soft, protective curve around her jaw, as if she were a precious, delicate thing that a too-firm grasp might break._

_And she remembers how she linked hands with his, and pulled him towards his bedroom. Then, so impatient to feel his hands, his mouth on her again, she pulled him over to one of the tall bookcases that lined the walls of his office, barely noticing the sharp edges of the graduated shelves as they dug into her ass and back as he-_

"-Whoa, whoa, whoa! Earth to Kate! Where did _you_ just go?"

Kate is sitting with her back supported by the arm of the loveseat in the corner of Castle's bedroom, legs stretched out comfortably on a large antique patterned silk Persian rug, a splash of crimson and gold in sharp contrast to the bachelor-pad browns, dark hardwood and chrome of Castle's bedroom.

The women have made good progress through the bottle of wine, and their glasses languish forgotten on the glass-topped coffee table in front of them.

Kate, who had been staring into space, looks up. Lanie is facing Kate, and she appears to have been trying to get Kate's attention for some time.

"-I only asked how your first time with Writer Boy was, didn't need you to go relive it...Damn, girl, will you _look_ at your face?! That good, huh?"

Kate blushed. "Better," she says with a smile.

"The day you came back from your suspension, I _knew_ something was different between you two. Both of you looked so damn smug! So are the rumors true?"

Kate covers her reddened cheeks with her palms. "I do not believe you want me to tell you this..."

"What are friends for? So what are we talkin'? Dill pickle? Bratwurst? Baby's arm holding an apple? What?"

"Oh my god, Lanie!" Kate could not hold back a bark of surprised laughter, and blushed furiously.

"Okay, okay. Tell me later." Lanie smiles mischievously, gets up onto her knees and scoots over to Kate to cup her friend's cheeks with her hands, giving her a gentle smile before enfolding her in a tight hug. "Oh my god. You are just adorable. You look so happy. All the great sex must be doing you good!"

Kate hugs her friend back. "Thanks. And it is," she says with a smirk as they both sit back again.

"See what I mean?! So damn smug!" Lanie cuffs her friend playfully on the shoulder.

"So ladies, what are we talking about? Me, right?"

Kate and Lanie's heads both whip around to see their host leaning in the doorway, a near-empty wine glass in hand. Lanie picks up the wine bottle and raises it to him, signalling him to approach. He saunters over, and Lanie grabs his glass to refresh it. As he subsides onto the rug with legs crossed, she hands the glass to him. "Your partner here was just telling me all about this new guy she's been seeing. Just hearing about the size of his-"

"Lanie!" Castle and Kate chorus; he sits bolt upright, doing a spit-take with his first mouthful of wine, nearly upending his glass; she kicks her foot over to nudge her friend, her face contorted with panic.

"-ego! I was going to say ego," The medical examiner chides them. "Dirty minds the both of you! And Richard Castle, you gonna share with the class why you care what Kate tells me about her mystery guy's package?"

Castle turns beet red, looking anywhere but at either woman as he attempts to mop up the spots of red wine now spattering his vintage trench coat. "Well, um...of course, no reason as such, just well, you know, it's an awkward and personal subject, and it would be impolite to pry-"

"Relax, stud, she was telling me about the size of your house in the Hamptons," Lanie says, nudging Kate in the leg with her foot.

"Oh, okay," Castle looks up in surprise and smiles, relaxing onto the carpet again. He looks at Kate. "So you told...?"

"Yeah." Kate says, and smiles to reassure him. After a pause she catches her friend's eye. "So it's...not small. His Hamptons place, I mean. It's large." She shoots her friend a wicked grin. "Some might say uncomfortably so."

Lanie laughs out loud. "Oh really?" She shoots an assessing look at the writer and raises an eyebrow at Kate. "Do elaborate..."

"Spectacular, right?" says Castle. His face falls. "Though it's pretty tiny compared to some of the Sag Harbor guys' houses," he muses.

Kate suppresses a grin at her boyfriend and continues, "Oh yeah, it's huge. Took a little getting used to at first, but now it feels...amazing. To spend time there, I mean-"

"Uh-huh!" Lanie nodded, her face split with a broad smile.

"But the size doesn't even matter. It's what he does with it that counts. You know, the way he's had the house redesigned to make use of the space, I mean."

Lanie laughs out loud, holds up a hand and high-fives Kate. Kate grins at her friend.

Castle beams. "Well I'm glad my girl's got such a high opinion of my beach place. You'll have to get the boys up one day. That'd be great!"

He watches quizzically as the two women dissolve into laughter.

"What?"

Kate makes the mistake of catching Lanie's eye again, and both descend into outright guffaws, sprawling helplessly on the rug.

"What?!"

Kate stops laughing, wipes the tears out of her eyes, sits up, and scoots over next to Castle, her side pressed to his. "It's nothing. I'm very happy to see you is all." She leans in with a cheeky smile for a gentle kiss.

He meets her halfway, and after releasing her lips says, "So Lanie's in the know, huh?"

Lanie has been getting up to go. "Oh, so much more than you'll ever be comfortable with, hot shot. Hurt her and I'll come after you with sharp instruments. But I'm really happy for you two."

"Err...thanks, Lanie," Castle says with a hesitant and somewhat fearful smile.

"Oh, you behave and you'll have nothing to worry about." Lanie almost manages to look like she's joking. "Okay you kids, I'm outta here. Got a date on the dance floor with a big lug..."

Kate barely notices her friend's departure, having already turned her attention to her boyfriend, smiling into his eyes before nuzzling his cheek. But after a brief moment, she sighs and goes to stand, still holding Castle's hand. "We'd better go, Castle."

"Really? C'mon! Just when I've got you all to myself?"

"Castle, you don't think it'll look suspicious, the two of us alone in your bedroom?"

"Just a minute or two can't hurt..." Castle pulls her back down to him and she goes without much of a struggle.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Kate is sitting on top of Castle, who is seated on the Persian rug, propped up against the sofa. His Fedora is still clinging gamely to the back of his head, though the hair underneath it is looking quite ruffled.

Castle has one hand buried in her hair holding her lips firmly to his, while Kate has pulled Castle's shirt out of the waistband of his pants, and her hands are making free with his chest, stroking underneath the layers of his costume. Castle's other hand is roaming over the smooth surface of her leather top, has unfastened the side laces of her bustier, and is sliding his fingers underneath the loosened leather edge to explore the warm skin beneath.

Heat suffuses her at the feel of his fingers exploring the delicate skin of her midriff, as they creep upwards. She gasps as he reaches the edge of her bra and pushes a finger underneath the underwire to caress the soft skin of her breast, before pulling it back out to graze over her sensitive peak.

He releases her mouth and murmurs in her ear "I missed you so much..." and moves to grasp the backs of her thighs, pulling her closer to him, and smoothing his hands upwards. She hears him groan as his hands firmly stroke her taut body over the smooth and tight fabric, increasing the pressure on both of them.

Castle groans into her mouth, and the vibration of his voice against her skin and the feeling of being astride the obviously very aroused writer makes her moan in response. She cannot help but roll her hips into his, needing relief and craving more sensation. And as her hands creep to his belt buckle-

"Yo! Castle! Where you at?"

Kate pushes Castle back, their mouths separating with a loud "pop" and for a brief moment they stare at each other in horror.

They're then galvanized into action. She stands quickly, grabbing his hands and pulling him up. He shuffles rapidly from one side to the other, clearly uncomfortable, and trying vainly with one hand to adjust his slacks, which appear to have shrunk without warning, while attempting to stuff his shirttails back into the waistband with the other. She grabs his lapels and pulls him over behind the shelter of the door to the office, which is slightly ajar.

Risking a peek through the doorway gap, she realises with some relief that Espo is looking around the office, facing away from the bedroom door he's just spoken through, and is not looking in.

Kate meets Castle's gaze with hers, and points silently from him to the other door leading out of the bedroom. He mouths "Really?" His shuffling becomes more frantic and thankfully, he's able to drape the somewhat wine-stained vintage trench he's wearing across himself and belt it shut to conceal the full extent of his disarray.

Kate mimes "go, go!" shooing him away with her hands, and glaring at him in warning.

"Yo! Castle! I'm comin' in!"

Panicked, she drops and rolls, taking cover on the patch of floor beside Castle's bed on the far side from the office door. Meanwhile, Castle has disappeared out the other door.

Great, now what? She grinds her teeth in frustration.

* * *

She shuffles closer to the side of the bed as she listens out for any sounds that indicate Esposito is going to be as good as his word and is bursting into the room. Trying to deal with her continuing fight-or-flight response, her mind races. She quickly dismisses her first impulse, to roll under the bed. The best way for her to retain credibility for a cover story is to try and make the safety of Castle's ensuite bathroom, the door of which stands open wide enough to admit her. Even if Esposito discovered her in there, she has a plausible excuse for being there (besides the fact that she'll have some tidying up to do after fifteen minutes of heavy petting with the 12th Precinct Homicide team's civilian consultant) even though she might have to do some explaining as to why she's in Castle's private bathroom, not in the main one located upstairs.

She returns her attention to her escape plan. Based on her by-now considerable laser tag experience, she knows that the terrain of the loft is set up to afford many nooks and hideaways for ambush or for evading attack.

Specifically, she knows that as long as she stays low, she is likely to make it into the ensuite under cover of the bed without being seen from the doorway or casting a shadow, as long as Espo is only spying through the crack in the door to the office. She hears rustling just outside in the office, and knows she will need to move now if she doesn't want the intruder to see her break cover.

Just at the last minute before she moves away from the bed, she notices what Castle has done with the side laces of her top. Fingers shaking with nerves, attempting to slow down her breathing, she quickly takes a few seconds to tighten the side laces again.

Clothing secured, as quietly as possible, she stretches out prone on the hardwood floor, and moves in a modified commando crawl, trying to keep her knees off the floor to avoid scuffing her pants. It's in no way elegant, but she manages to work her way quickly toward the open bathroom door, illuminated from within like the Promised Land, with a soft halo from the bathroom's recessed lighting.

The second she reaches the safety of the inside of the ensuite doorway, she springs to a stand, and goes to check herself in the mirror, correct in her prediction that her lips and hair were going to be a mess.

Stealthily opening the tiny drawer in the vanity where she keeps her emergency cosmetics and hair supplies, and working as quickly and quietly as possible, she grabs a small pot of red tinted lip gloss and a gel eye liner pencil and repairs the damage to her makeup.

She removes the spray nozzle from a little hairspray can and dribbles a small amount of spray onto her fingers, which she uses to finger-comb her hair back into place. She knows there's no way she can use a hairdryer now so she applies the hairspray sparingly in the hope that it will air-dry.

There's no way she wants the credibility of her cover story to be scuttled by evidence of her little interlude with Castle earlier.

As she's finishing up, she hears the familiar creak of the office door to the bedroom being pushed wide open, and she peeks out of the gap next to the door where it is hinged to the wall, expecting Espo to be poking his head inside the room for a sneaky look around.

Her pulse skyrockets when she sees the nosy cop has walked on in, is moving purposefully toward the walk-in robe, and is now a mere couple of feet away from being able to snoop around inside Castle's closet.

Normally, this wouldn't pose a problem. But today...

On their return from the Hamptons, in preparation for coming over here after the conference, Kate brought over some clothes which she'll wear to the Precinct on Monday.

So, just inside the closet doorway, on a simple coat hanger, are hanging a plain white, soft cotton button-down shirt and black, boot-cut drill trousers, laundered and pressed by Castle, and topped with Kate's Burberry trench. On a stool next to the work outfit, neatly folded, lays a pretty, dusky-pink, scalloped lace-edge bra-and-panties set.

And underneath all that, snuggled up sweetly next to Castle's favorite pair of bespoke loafers, are Kate's distinctive heeled, black Jimmy Choo shearling ankle boots (which, as fall heads towards winter, she has started leaving here to wear to early morning crime scenes anyway).

Espo's going to get an eyeful. Kate curses Castle's domesticated side, and her own organized streak. Between them they couldn't have assembled an outfit that looked more like her, unless they were to slap a brunette wig on top. In poor lighting, it would look like Kate herself was hiding out in the closet. Been there, done that, she thought with a grimace.

And they couldn't have provided better evidence. After seeing that, no-one, least of all Esposito, would be in any further doubt about the identity of Beckett's mystery man...

...Or whose closet, whose intimate space, whose bed she's sharing.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for your support for this story so far, and all the lovely feedback and comments.

Still having fun? Let me know… Not having fun anymore? Let me know...

Many many thanks to KyinHI for talking this through with me when I was stuck, just to reassure me I was on the right track! Thanks to her also for the beta read this time. Also Ky's a marvelous beta and writer, so make sure you check out her profiles!

And and and I forgot to mention in the Author's Notes last chapter (sorry!) that 1822andallthat and fembot79 were very helpful with giving me some thoughts on a couple of sections of chapter 3 that were bothering me. Ladies, I appreciate your thoughts and enthusiasm for the chapter and helping me find the right story!

I'm getting clearer each time where this is headed. I still think there will be at least two more chapters and an epilogue or a short last chapter to go!

Stick around, should be fun.

Thanks so much for reading.


End file.
